As I’m sure many fellow tribe members can appreciate, I was excited about finally being able to participate in an operation. Unfortunately, we can’t always prevent bad things from happening, but we’re definitely able to help when they do.
I was gearing up to deploy to Operation Tridge, my first disaster response operation, and really had no idea what to expect. I am not a veteran or a first responder, but a civilian who wants to be part of an organization that helps people when they need it most.
As soon as I arrived at the FOB I no longer felt like “just” a civilian; I was part of the team. We went to work right away in a trailer park that had several homes needing assistance. We came in like a wrecking ball and got shit done. I immediately learned a ton about the underside of trailers and navigating tight spaces. I learned even more from my strike team leader and teammates, not just about the work but also about caring for the homeowners and each other. My initial deployment lasted for three days but I was hooked. After going home for a couple nights, I just had to come back so I signed up to volunteer for three more.
The Incident Command Staff was amazing and helpful to everyone, especially for us newbies. I learned so much from watching, listening, and especially by doing. I was assigned to be a strike team leader on my last day. I had an awesome team that totally kicked ass and got the job done. They even came back happy and alive which I was told is a good thing. I am so grateful for the leadership and the entire team at Operation Tridge for their guidance and friendship.
I feel lucky to be able to help others and also gain so much in the process. This tribe exemplified TR’s service principles and their commitment to service above self, tenacity, impartiality, collaboration, accountability, and innovation makes me so proud to be a member of Team Rubicon.
